


We Shouldn't Work (But We Do)

by De_Marvel_Bunny



Series: Whumptober 2019 [13]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Awesome Tony Stark, Bullying, Feels, Friendship, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, James "Rhodey" Rhodes is a Good Bro, Kid Fic, Kid Tony, Kid Tony Stark, M/M, Rhodey Is Underrated, Sassy Tony Stark, Sweet Tony Stark, Tony Angst, Tony Stark Angst, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Gets a Hug, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark has glasses, Tony Stark-centric, Whumptober 2019, fight me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-12-14 17:43:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21019718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/De_Marvel_Bunny/pseuds/De_Marvel_Bunny
Summary: Tony goes to MIT as a fourteen-year-old. Of course, that attracts some bad attention.Luckily, James "Rhodey" Rhodes is there to save the day.OR,Tony gets bullied, Rhodey is a good bro, and they become friends in the end :)





	We Shouldn't Work (But We Do)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kcusllay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kcusllay/gifts), [The_Sad_Fangirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Sad_Fangirl/gifts).

> I'm out of summaries

Tony held his head down as he rushed trough the halls, clutching the straps of his backpack. He really couldn't afford to be late on his first day of college. He avoided the stares of the students as he walked by, feeling their gaze burn on his back. Tony knew he was way too young to be in college, and the fact that he was... well, _tiny_ didn't really help.

In his haste, he didn't really look where he was going. So when two large kids suddenly stepped in front of him, he slammed hard against them, just barely staying on his feet. He pushed up his glasses, thankful they hadn't broken.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there," he apologized quietly. "I'll just-" He tried to get past them, but one of them pushed him back.

"Well, if it isn't Tony Stark," he grinned, the boy beside him laughing. Tony's heart sank. "Daddy's money get you in here, Stark?"

"N-no. I really have to-" he tried passing them again, but he was simply shoved back with a single hand.

"In a rush, Stark? Got somewhere you need to be?" The bully asked.

"Funnily enough, class," Tony said before he could stop himself. The bully sneered.

"So, the worm's got teeth?" He growled. "Bet'cha I can knock 'em out."

Tony tried to dodge the fist swinging his way, but he was too late. It hit him square in the jaw, and he staggered back, his shoulder hitting the wall painfully. He could already feel blood in his mouth from where his tongue had gotten between his teeth. Pushing up his glasses once again, he noticed people had stopped to watch the scene, and Tony felt embarrassment at being looked at like this. Turning his embarrassment into anger, he glared at his attacker and his bodyguard.

"Lay off," he instructed softly, voice low. And it would be intimidating in a few years, but seeing as he hadn't had his voice drop yet, it really just sounded cute more than anything else. Silently cursing the weird sense of humor his biology seemed to have, he dodged the next hit, bouncing back on the balls of his feet. The big bully glared, looking over Tony's shoulder for a moment. The young genius didn't really have time to process what that meant before he was grabbed from behind, his backpack being torn off his back while he was tossed carelessly to the side. He staggered into the wall once again, feeling trapped. He looked on as his backpack was being torn apart, his books, designs, and tools clattering to the ground.

The bully stalked towards him, his knuckle bleeding from where it had hit the wall instead of Tony. The bigger kid grabbed him by his shirt, lifting him up far enough for Tony's feet to be off the ground.

"Listen you little punk," he sneered, his face close enough for Tony to almost choke on the bad breath. "Your name and your shitton of money might have been enough to get you in here, but _we_," gestured towards the watching students, "actually worked hard for this. So you better stay out of my way, Stark, because you don't belong here. You're just a pathetic little-"

"Let him go."

Tony and his bully turned their heads towards the new voice simultaneously, seeing a dark boy with his arms crossed and a disapproving frown etched on his face.

"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" The bully, who was still holding Tony up, sneered at him.

"Doesn't matter. I thought I told you to let him go?" He said casually, although his eyes told a different story. He was seething.

"Why are you defending a little rich kid like Stark?" The bully asked, finally relenting his hold on Tony's shirt. Tony dropped down, staggering unsteadily on his feet and just barely keeping his glasses from sliding off his nose.

"Just because his father has a reputation doesn't mean he isn't a normal person like the rest of us." The boy answered coldly. "Now, I understand you have some insecurities to work through, as bullies often do, so how about you piss off and sort your shit out on your own?" Tony's savior suggested with a smile, gesturing down the hall. The crowd laughed and the bully's face flushed red with anger. He turned back to Tony, leaning in his personal space so Tony was pushed back against the wall.

"You're lucky he's come to save your ass," he said soft enough so only they could hear. "Next time, you won't be so lucky."

"Look, man. I understand you're hitting on me, really, I do. I'm quite a sight. But buy me dinner first, will you?"

Tony should really learn to shut up.

Big Bully growled, swinging his fist to hit the side of Tony's face. Tony crashed down with the force of the blow, hearing more than feeling his glasses break. He groaned dazedly, barely registering the dark boy from earlier grabbing Big Bully from behind, taking the bully in a headlock and sending him crashing to the ground. It was more of an embarrassing defeat for the bully than a painful one, and he quickly got up to push through the taunting crowd.

"Hey, man. That was pretty stupid."

"Thanks," Tony muttered, struggling to sit up. His savior, because that's what the helpful stranger was now, helped him sit up. "Ah, shit," Tony swore under his breath as he held the pieces of his broken glasses in his hands.

"Do you have a spare?" Savior asked.

"In my dorm, probably. Jarvis packed a spare of everything." He muttered the last part, stubbornly ignoring the warm feeling Jarvis' concern gave him.

"Well, that's convenient," Savior smiled, looking bright even through Tony's blurry vision. "We're roommates. I'm James Rhodes."

Tony owlishly blinked up at him before reaching out to shake his hand, missing at least three times before he got a semi-good grip

"Tony," he responded lamely. "I have a roommate?"

"Yeah. I actually met you once before but you looked like you were on a caffeine high, so I'm not surprised you don't remember." He laughed softly at the memory. "You promptly passed out after you finished yelling out an equation. I was so kind to tuck you in."

Tony flushed red, reaching up to run a hand over his face in an attempt to hide it.

"Yeah, that sounds about right," he groaned. James -ugh, no. That just wouldn't do. Tony would have to find another name for him- laughed at his embarrassment.

"Hey, it's alright. It helped me see that you're really quite different from what everyone makes you out to be. If that hadn't happened, I probably wouldn't have saved your ass just now."

"Yeah, well, thanks. I guess," Tony muttered, beginning to lose his focus because of his throbbing headache and blurry vision. "Think we can speed this up a bit? I feel like my brain might actually explode and I'd rather it didn't, because it's the only useful thing I've got."

James -if Tony hadn't had a headache he would have given him a better name already- shook his head and chuckled before hoisting the small genius up effortlessly.

"Really? I am not _that_ underweight," Tony protested, exasperated.

"Okay, I'm gonna get back to that later," his roommate said, sounding slightly worried. "First, let's just get you a new pair of glasses. Also, you're not going to class until you've had someone check you out- not like that-" he cut off Tony's sly look.

"Look, I'm fine. I can take care of myself," Tony protested before tripping over his own feet. Rhodes steadied him easily, shooting him an unimpressed look Tony could feel more than he could see. "Fine," Tony relented, surprising his roommate/savior by completely leaning into him, forcing the taller boy to hold up his unimpressive weight. "But if you're going to take care of me, you're gonna have to do it _all_, baby."

Rhodes, to his credit, only laughed before dragging him down the hallway, all the way toward their dorm. Tony was beginning to get lightheaded to a point he worried he actually wouldn't be able to walk on his own. Rhodes dropped him gently onto his bed, making sure his head was cushioned before honest-to-god _tucking him in_. If Tony was a little more lucid, he would have been embarrassed, but now he simply patted his roommate's arm clumsily.

"Thanks, Rhodey," he muttered softly.

"Rhodey?" James repeated, about to correct him when he mulled it over a bit. "You know what, that's actually not bad..."

Tony gave him a sloppy grin.

"Thanks, Rhodey-bear. Now fetch me my painkillers because I think I'm dying." He held out his open palm for Rhodes- no, _Rhodey_ to put his painkillers in. Rhodey rolled his eyes but complied, watching in vague horror as the small boy swallowed them dry.

"Again, that's a conversation for another time. For now... Rhodey-bear? Seriously?"

"Eh," Tony shrugged. "I have given people worse names. You're getting off quite well. Now, sour pouch, stop glaring holes into my combusting head because I don't know if I can bear your disapproving look for much longer. Distract me, please."

"Wow, you really are a piece of work, aren't you Stark?" Rhodey groaned, but he couldn't keep a smile off his lips. "Fine, I'll play along. What's 300 times 75?"

"22.500. Come on, Platypus, give me a hard one."

"Platypus? How- you know what, never mind. Uh, 98 times 642," he named randomly.

"62.916. Keep 'm coming," Tony answered without hesitating. Rhodey laughed in surprise.

"Wow, that's impressive," he praised. Tony winked.

"Genius," he said as if that explained why he could just solve random math problems within seconds while literally everyone just used a calculator. Rhodey grinned, sitting down cross-legged on his own bed, opposite of Tony's.

"Alright. Brace yourself."

And that was how their weird, inexplicable friendship began. Rhodey was there for Tony during all the shit life was throwing his way, and Tony was there for him in return, breaking down his door whenever he called. It shouldn't work, but it did. And both of them were more than grateful for it.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos make me happy :)


End file.
